The present invention relates generally to container accessories, and more particularly to a novel safety cover assembly for open containers. One important aspect of the invention is the provision of a cover assembly which permits easy removal of the container from the cover assembly.
As interest continues to increase in protection of the environment from the adverse effects of inappropriate waste discharge, specialized problems of disposal continue to occur. Disposition of scrap material that was not considered objectionable in the past is now considered at least potentially damaging to the environment and hence at last potentially objectionable. In addition to escalating environmental concerns, the public at large, and particularly the industrial sector, has developed an increasing consciousness of the need for work place safety. This includes safety against fire hazards and hazards of airborne pollution, such as that occasioned by fumes, vapors, or the like.
Specifically, certain industrial areas, including manufacturing facilities, machine shops, and the like are areas wherein various oils and oily materials are commonly generated and/or spilled. Although these spills are usually in amounts that would formerly have been considered very minor quantities, the potential of cumulative, careless disposition of such wastes could be considered hazardous or at least undesirable.
For example, in industrial environments including machine shops and elsewhere where cutting, drilling, boring, and like operations are conducted, there is considerable spillage of liquids, including lubricants, coolants, cutting oils, and the like. For purposes of immediate safety, it has been customary to attempt simply to absorb these materials on the spot with absorbents of various kinds. This has involved distribution of a solid, granular absorbent over the affected area, and then, after absorption has taken place, sweeping or vacuuming the oil-contaminated granular materials up and placing them in a disposition area.
Depending upon the nature of the oily material and the granular absorbent, the contaminated absorbent can pose a significant environmental risk or safety hazard. For example, if cellulosic material such as excelsior, saw dust, wood chips or the like or used, these materials are, in and of themselves, a fire hazard. When soaked or contaminated with oil, this risk is exacerbated.
More popular types of granular, oil absorbent materials include those which, although not flammable, may nevertheless contribute to fire because of their oil or like content. These include various silica materials, inorganic absorbents of various kinds and the like. As will be appreciated, once the materials have absorbed oil, they are unable to be disposed of in any location where the oil absorbed therein could be leached out into the ground water table or could otherwise contaminate the environment.
With the foregoing in mind, there have been attempts made to confine the materials in containers for safe keeping. However, the requirements for such containers are more diverse than might at first be thought. For example, the containers should allow easy access and yet be kept closed in normal use. Where the contents are to be emptied frequently, ease of access to the container should be provided.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an improved storage and disposition container for oil soaked or otherwise contaminated materials of this type. The invention provides a convenient, foot-activated cover actuating assembly for such a disposition container. By providing for foot operation of the cover assembly, the device of the present invention significantly reduces the likelihood of spillage by allowing the operator to use both hands to control and contain the contaminated materials while they are being transferred to or from the container.
The present invention is further directed to a foot-activated cover and opening assembly that is simple and convenient to remove from various disposition containers, so as to allow ready and convenient replacement of such containers. While various foot-activated lid or cover opening devices exist in the art, many require that the disposition container be lifted and placed into the cover opening device. In contrast, in the present invention, the cover and opening assembly are lifted only a minimal amount, after which the disposition container can be removed and replaced. This is advantageous in that, if the disposition container is full of material, and thus is rather heavy, the relatively light cover and opening assembly are much easier and convenient to lift. This is additionally advantageous in that it substantially reduces the likelihood of spillage, because the disposition container need not be lifted for removal.
Foot-activated lid openers for various containers have been widely utilized in the past. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,873 a portable hamper with a foot operated cover is disclosed. Also, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 962,874 and 1,131,774, foot-activated lid opening devices for garbage cans and the like are disclosed.
However in all of these cases, unlike in the device of the present invention, the garbage or like can is placed inside the lid opening device. Thus in order to remove the container from the lid opening device, the user would have to lift the garbage can by an amount sufficient to clear the retaining means utilized by each of these inventions to keep the garbage can in place. Obviously, if the garbage can is full this may be a very difficult task. Additionally, if the garbage can is of a large size, say 30 or 55 gallons, or contains hazardous material, the danger of spilling the materials contained within the garbage can is greatly increased while it is being lifted. In contrast, the present invention allows the cover and opening assembly to be placed on another receptacle or container without having to lift the absorbent container itself, thus significantly reducing the likelihood of spilling the contents of the absorbent container.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,229,777 and 1,012,346 foot operated garbage can lid opening devices are disclosed which are integral to the garbage can itself. These inventions obviously lack the unique and useful feature of the present invention whereby the combination cover and opening assembly can be conveniently removed, and thus utilized on different containers. The present concept also permits the container to be of a standard type that can be replaced periodically on a service basis, for example.
The present invention is ideally suited for use in machine shops or the like, where as previously suggested, a waste disposal company could contract to remove and properly dispose of the user's potentially hazardous waste materials periodically. In such a case each shop can receive one of the combination lid and opening devices of this invention. When the drum that is being used to dispose of the hazardous material is nearly full, an employee of the waste disposal company can simply deliver an empty drum to replace the full one.
It is a very simple and convenient process for the employee of the waste disposal company to place the empty drum near the full drum, and remove the cover opening assembly from the full drum and place it on the empty one. The employee can then properly seal the drum with the contaminants or other waste material within the drum before attempting to remove it from the shop. Obviously, then, the process of disposing of such hazardous materials is made much more convenient and safe if a product embodying the invention is utilized.
The present invention is further directed to a foot-activated cover opening assembly that is simple and convenient to remove from the disposition container because it is only necessary to lift the device a few inches in order to remove it. In contrast, most or all existing devices require that the disposition container be lifted an amount equal to or near its entire length. Thus, the invention greatly simplifies the process of separating the disposition container from the cover opening device.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination storage and disposition container cover for contaminated materials.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a container cover unit with a foot-actuated cover opening device that is simple and convenient to operate, and easy to associate with or remove from various storage and/or disposition containers.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a container cover unit that includes a positioning collar that is self-locating within the open top of a container and which includes a screen or the like to control the nature of the product disposed in the drum or container.
Another object of the invention is to provide a container cover unit with a foot actuated cover opening device that utilizes a lift frame that is constructed and arranged to allow ready replacement of a container for potentially hazardous materials.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a safety cover unit which may be opened by actuating a foot-operated treadle unit but which, even if intentionally opened, will close automatically in the presence of elevated temperatures such as those caused by flames, for example.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a container cover with a pedal-actuated cover opening device that utilizes both fixed and movable cover elements secured to each other by a hinge and actuable by a crank mechanism secured at one of its ends to a movable cover panel and at the other to a vertically extending end portion of the lift frame and wherein the hinge provides the pivot axis for the opening and closing action.
A further object of the invention is to provide a container cover unit and opening device wherein the lift frame includes spacer buttons adapted to engage but slide along the outer surface of an associated drum or container to position the frame during the lid or cover-opening operation.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as referred to herein wherein the cover unit includes an insert in the form of a circular collar with a locating flange formed from its upper margin and wherein the lower margin of the collar supports a screen made from expanded metal material or the like.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for transiently storing combustible or potentially combustible materials in drums or like containers and wherein the operation of the apparatus is such as to facilitate removing and replacing the containers on a service basis wherein standardization of containers is important.
The foregoing and other objects are achieved in practice by providing a safety cover assembly for use with an associated drum unit that includes a drum insert unit having a collar generally congruent with an upper margin of the associated drum, a collar flange that vertically positions the collar within the drum, a cover assembly with a fixed cover element extending chordwise across part of the opening defined by the drum insert unit, a movable cover panel extending across the remainder of the opening, a hinge connecting the fixed element to the movable cover panel, a lift frame assembly having a generally horizontally extending treadle portion and a pair of risers, and a crank mechanism connecting the risers to the movable cover panel, whereby a downward movement of the treadle causes the movable cover panel to pivot about the hinge axis and lift the cover panel to provide access to the drum interior.
The exact manner in which the foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention, including those inherent in the invention, are achieved in practice and will be more clearly apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention set forth by way of example and shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numbers indicates corresponding parts throughout the several figures.